CIA Director Petraeus Resigns Over Extramarital Affair

Posted on Nov 9, 2012

Flickr/Navajo Nation Washington Office

David Petraeus at a breakfast in honor of Veterans Day last year.

David Petraeus is stepping down from his post as director of the Central Intelligence Agency after admitting he had an extramarital affair, NBC News is reporting. According to NBC News, Deputy Director Mike Morrell will likely serve as the CIA’s acting director, with a chance he’ll be elevated permanently to the job.

NBC’s Andrea Mitchell read Petraeus’ resignation letter on the air Friday afternoon. A portion of it read:

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the White House and asked the President to be allowed, for personal reasons, to resign from my position as D/CIA. After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair. Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the President graciously accepted my resignation.